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Cher arrives in Islamabad as Kaavan the elephant packs his bags; meets PM Imran

Cher arrives in Islamabad as Kaavan the elephant packs his bags; meets PM Imran

Singer offers her support for furthering government's green initiatives through her organisation "Free the Wild".
Updated 28 Nov, 2020

First a presidential farewell and now a visit by the one and only Cher? Kaavan may be 'lonely' but definitely loved.

Iconic singer and actress Cher arrived in Pakistan to celebrate the departure of Kaavan, dubbed the “world’s loneliest elephant”, who will soon leave a Pakistani zoo for better conditions in Cambodia after years of lobbying by animal rights groups and activists.

Because of security concerns, Cher’s schedule was not made public. However, apart from meeting Kaavan, her itinerary included calling on Prime Minister Imran Khan.

According to tweets by the Prime Minister's Office, the premier appreciated Cher's efforts in retiring Kaavan to an elephant sanctuary and thanked her for her campaign and role in this regard.

PM Imran also invited the singer to participate and contribute towards the government's initiative for the expansion of protected areas, to which she kindly agreed.

Cher applauded the premier for his government's key initiatives for ensuring a cleaner and greener Pakistan, saying that the "Protected Areas Initiative and the 10 Billion Tree Tsunami initiative of the government were highly commendable and praiseworthy as nature-based tools for climate mitigation".

She also offered her support for furthering the green initiatives through her organisation Free the Wild and thanked the Prime Minister.

Kaavan finds a new home

After living in Islamabad for 35 years, Kaavan will be shifted to a sanctuary in Cambodia following directions by Islamabad High Court (IHC) in view of its improper care due to the absence of a natural habitat at the zoo.

“Thanks to Cher, but also local Pakistani activists, Kaavan’s fate made headlines around the world, and this contributed to the facilitation of his transfer,” Martin Bauer of Four Paws International, a Vienna-based animal welfare group that’s led the charge to save Kaavan, told The Associated Press on Friday.

Bauer lauded the powerful impact celebrity voices can have for animal rights.

“Celebrities lending their voices to good causes are always welcomed, as they help starting public discourse and raising pressure on responsible authorities,” he said.

“Around the globe there are animal lovers, famous and not famous, and the support of every single one of them is crucial,” he added.

Earlier in the week, Kaavan was given a farewell by President Dr Arif Alvi and First Lady Samina Alvi at Marghzar Zoo. The president visited the zoo a day after the citizens said goodbye to Kaavan with songs and speeches.

President Dr Arif Alvi and first lady visit Marghzar Zoo to say goodbye to Kaavan on Tuesday. — APP
President Dr Arif Alvi and first lady visit Marghzar Zoo to say goodbye to Kaavan on Tuesday. — APP

Four Paws spokeswoman Marion Lombard said that the preparations for Kaavan’s departure on Nov 29 would start at 6am. The elephant will be sedated at 10am and shifted to Nur Khan air base by 1pm.

“It will be airlifted by a Russian cargo aircraft to Cambodia,” she said.

Equally popular among children and adults, Kaavan, the male Asian elephant born in Sri Lanka in 1985, was gifted by the Sri Lankan government to the then president of Pakistan. An elephant named Saheli was brought from Bangladesh in 1990 that remained as Kaavan’s partner until its death in 2012. Kaavan was temporarily chained by zookeepers in 2002 for its aggressive behaviour.

Animal rights activists have been campaigning to free Kaavan and to treat animals in a better way at the zoo.

On May 21, 2020, the IHC ordered that all animals, especially Kaavan, be immediately relocated to better sanctuaries.

After Kaavan, two Himalayan brown bears will also be relocated to Jordan on Dec 6, completing the process of relocation of all animals at the zoo.

Comments

Maroon Lady Nov 27, 2020 03:34pm
Let's hear it for Cher!
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Zak Nov 27, 2020 03:50pm
Welcome Cher. Always fighting for a good cause.
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Saif Zulfiqar Nov 27, 2020 03:57pm
Never knew she is member of animal welfare organisation. Remember her in 1960-70 when she was very top singer with her husband Sonny Bono. I was very much fond of their songs. Thank you Cher for saving animals. It is tough job and you do it.
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Zak Nov 27, 2020 03:59pm
"Thanks to Cher, but also local Pakistani activists, Kaavan’s fate made headlines around the world, and this contributed to the facilitation of his transfer,” Bauer told The Associated Press on Friday." Thank you Cher and also the local Pakistani activists. Salute to all.
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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad Nov 27, 2020 04:10pm
Welcome to the fertile greenshirts land of four seasons and the clubhouse of 225 million brave, bold, brilliant, blazing and beautiful people of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. As always, keep it up and hang on tough.
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Munsif Nov 27, 2020 04:17pm
I wish these people also feel pain of human suffering.
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Waseem Sarwar Nov 27, 2020 04:47pm
All Zoos should be immediately closed down in Pakistan. The public behavior towards animals is so cruel plus without proper finances, facilities, and trained staff, it's an absolutely horrific way of treating animals. Retire well Kaavan.
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Chrís Dăn Nov 27, 2020 04:56pm
Cher is a class by herself. Thank you Cher
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Kaisera Nov 27, 2020 05:15pm
So no animals in the zoo now?
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BrownFlower Nov 27, 2020 05:30pm
Hope he lives a happy life. Best wishes to you Kaavan.
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Farooq Jawed Nov 27, 2020 05:40pm
Very good. They are sentient creatures, they feel and know what is happening. To keep them in cages for cheap entertainment is travesty.
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Logic Nov 27, 2020 05:56pm
Lucky elephant.
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LgbtqX Nov 27, 2020 06:14pm
Another feather on Imran's cap.
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Saba Nov 27, 2020 06:34pm
Khan zinda baad. I wish we had you 30 years ago. So that mafia has not looted my beloved country Sher welcome to Pakistan
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Dan Nov 27, 2020 07:07pm
Meanwhile Pakistan exporting free falcons to UAE where is free the wild?
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Chrís Dăn Nov 27, 2020 07:15pm
Cher is not only a very favourite singer for me-she is well respected for her humanitarian activities by many. I am thankful to Cher from the bottom of ny heart to help a lonely elephant in moving to his natural habitat.
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chengez k Nov 27, 2020 07:27pm
Extremely shameful..........nothing to celebrate about !!!
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Ali Nov 27, 2020 07:43pm
Cause I'm strong enough!
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mazhar Nov 27, 2020 07:50pm
@Cher may also look at how Imran khans Government is planning to devastate coastal areas of Sindh by commercialising islands in Sindh, Islands near karachi are a sanctuary of millions of birds, animal and protective wall against sea born cyclones and tsunami.
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Laila Nov 27, 2020 07:56pm
In shock. Cher is here? In Pakistan? This is like whoa
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Bhajrang Nov 27, 2020 08:10pm
Pakistan and PMIK did one thing right. Finally there is some hope.
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Mujtaba Syed Nov 27, 2020 08:14pm
"Cher arrives in Islamabad" make the day a national holiday. Zoo administration, needs a singer from 10000 miles to tell them what to do with a sick animal.. what a intellectual pity.
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Bhai Jaan Nov 27, 2020 08:30pm
It would have been better, if Pakistan imported one female partner for him. Economy really in bad shape they can't even afford this. IK made big mistake by taking panga with UAE and Saudi..
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manzer Nov 27, 2020 08:36pm
Thank you Kavaan for the joy you gave to thousands of children over the years. We will miss you!
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Surendra Sukhtankar Nov 27, 2020 08:40pm
A lot of Photo-ops for PMIK; no real work for the people!
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Sami khan Nov 27, 2020 08:46pm
Sad that Islamabadian has to leave his city, where he spent most of his life. Wish him all the best
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Saeeds Nov 27, 2020 08:48pm
PTI government have nothing to do. There top leaders wasting time to say good by to elephant and discussing with singer for there environmental Policies
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Chrís Dăn Nov 27, 2020 09:09pm
I cant believe Cher the one of greatest singers is sitting in Pakistan only fir welfare of an aline elephant!!what a lady.
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AAA Nov 27, 2020 09:13pm
Good for Kaavan, hope other animals will also get release from their miserable life they are having here, but its purely a publicity stunt, otherwise there are tons of request that human right activist took before courts and to government but all got rejected, on other hand just on one tweet from American singer got Kaavan release, it only shows desire of populism nothing more.
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Hemant Nov 27, 2020 10:11pm
Why zoo could not get a partner for this elephant rather than give it away? If not from India they could have got from Sri Lanka!
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John The Baptist Nov 27, 2020 10:39pm
Why is Cher the only one smiling in that group? Are the others too high and mighty to be polite to a guest?
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Aakash tyagi Nov 27, 2020 10:42pm
Is it not embarrassing for an entire country to have bit been able to manage one elephant.....
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AZAM AKBAR Nov 27, 2020 10:42pm
Better for Kaavan.
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Waqar Nov 27, 2020 10:59pm
Children in Pakistan will never see an elephant in Pakistan. This might be the beginning of the end of Zoos in the country.
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Akhter Nov 27, 2020 11:34pm
Indeed, a happy ending, but lots of people extracted lots of PR mileage out of this!
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Adnan Mazher Khan Nov 27, 2020 11:54pm
Cheers for Cher. Thanks for making one soul free.
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Vijay Nov 28, 2020 01:02am
Her next song should include appreciation for Pakistan!
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fareed Nov 28, 2020 04:16am
Cher meets tiger for the release of elephant.
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Sameer Nov 28, 2020 06:38am
@Munsif I hope like Cher, you'd actually DO something about it.
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Surendran Nov 28, 2020 07:01am
Well done for this humane gesture to all those Pakistanis who spoke up for Kaavan.
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El Cid Nov 28, 2020 07:15am
Kaavan's pain and prayers have been heard. Alhamdollilah!
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پاکستان Nov 28, 2020 07:29am
@Aakash tyagi : yes its embarassing. But also animals belong to the wild and not in a zoo where they suffer.
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Nick, NY Nov 28, 2020 02:22pm
What is the real agenda?
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Saira Nov 28, 2020 06:30pm
What a good cause! You are most welcome to visit our country and see the amazing nature of Pakistan, Cher! :)
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Rahul S. Nov 28, 2020 07:21pm
A great animal rights actavist !!
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Rahul S. Nov 28, 2020 07:56pm
She is there to make sure that that Kaavan is moved to elephant sanctuary in Cambodia safely........that's it. Do not blow this out of proportion. She is not there because she wanted to visit Pakistan.
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S Asif Nov 28, 2020 11:21pm
@Munsif You think they don't? Pathetic!
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S Asif Nov 28, 2020 11:23pm
@Waqar Hopefully
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zh Nov 29, 2020 12:03am
@Kaisera Zoos are cruel. Wild animals belong in the wilderness.
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Soro2020 Nov 29, 2020 12:58am
Let’s create sanctuaries for elephants similar to East African safari or Indian safari and close down zoos
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Saxhin Nov 29, 2020 08:59am
@Logic lucky that it’s out of this place
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shehla Dec 02, 2020 07:59pm
someone should have suggested to Cher to look at the Zoo conditions in Sindh Hyderabad. where animals are being starved and keptin close confinement.
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